VA Senate Dems: “The actions by Youngkin’s Department of Education are an outright violation of Virginians’ civil rights”

From the VA Senate Democratic Caucus, regarding the Youngkin administration’s disgraceful new “Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools“:

STATEMENT: Virginia Senate Democrats on VDOE’s New Model Policies for Transgender Students

RICHMOND, Va: Yesterday, the Youngkin administration’s Department of Education released revised guidance for model policies regarding the treatment of transgender students in Virginia’s public schools. Virginia Senate Democrats release the following statement in response:

“The actions by Youngkin’s Department of Education are an outright violation of Virginians’ civil rights, and perpetuate the national MAGA playbook of obliterating any inference of diversity, equity, or inclusion in our communities. This move is yet another iteration of the Governor’s lack of empathy and proof of how out-of-touch he and Virginia Republicans are with everyday Virginians.

“Most importantly, To all the LGBTQ+ students out there: we see you, we support you. Just like all of the children in our Commonwealth, you make Virginia beautiful and deserve the safety to thrive–everywhere. We developed these policies in 2020 understanding that for students who do not have supportive families, forced outing can lead to decreased mental wellness, as well as financial and housing insecurity. These changes released by Governor Youngkin on Friday will put our vulnerable transgender and nonbinary students at further risk for bullying and harassment. Despite Governor Youngkin’s political gamesmanship in his quest to compete with the cruel policies of Ron DeSantis and to divert attention from the issues at hand around abortion, we will continue to work collaboratively with our families and schools to assure that all students are safe in their schools.”